Surgical needle



NOV. 8, 1927. 1,648,451

R. E. FISHER SURGICAL NEEDLE Filed Jan. 2. 1924 an n" Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED; STATES RALPH E; FISHER, CLEVELAND HEIGHTS VILLAGE, OHIO.

' sune oar. EEDLE.

Application filed January 2, 1824. Serial No. 683,924.

The invention relates to improvementsin surgical needles and provides a type of needle that is particularly adapted-to throat surgery such as applying sutures in the cavities remaining in the throat following the removal of the tonsils and for use in the walls of otherwise inaccessible cavities.

The device is also constructed of noncorrosive metal, such as stainless steel, which is practically rust proof and can readily be sterilized by boiling. It is also constructed of malleable metal that is not brittle and will not break, and can be bent or altered in its curvature to enable it to enter cavities of peculiar shape, in which it must be used, but is slightly tempered so as to retain a suilicient amount of rigidity, to enable it to do its work successfully.

;In throat surgery the needle must ordinarily be inserted in the tissues from the rear in order to pass underneath a vein or nerve, at right angles thereto, for suturing and tying, and the improved needle is so designed that it can be inserted by the oper-' ator from behind the vein or from any direction, that is, from the front or rear, or from either side, without changing his position, and can therefore be employed withthe least amount of work and inconvenience to the operatorin cavities otherwise difiicult or impossible ofaccess.

The needle is square in cross section thus making it possible to grasp it instantly with the forceps in all positions without danger of its turning on its long axis in the forceps,

as it woulddoif it were round in cross section, and it also holds its position better in the tissues and is more reliable on that account.

The needle is also provided with a curved and pointed end of peculiar shape, substantially parabolic, and. with a straight short shank thus making its use for insertion from the rear possible by enabling it to be grasped by the forceps, and midway of the straight portion to assume the various positions required to enable it to penetrate'the tissues from the rear, and after passing under the vein to emerge in front thereof. The point is also bevelled on its rear face and sides to enable it to automatically rise from the thus permitting the h'ead to be grasped by the forceps without danger of damaging the eye. I

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, hereinafter more fully described and specifically pointed out in the claims; I

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a' perspective illustrating the use of the needle in applying sutures to a vein in the cavity, from which one of the tonsils has been removed; Fig. 2 is a plan of the needle, showing the manner of grasping it with the forceps; Fig. 2* isa plan of the needle enlarged; Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof, Fig. 4: is an enlarged section. of the same; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the bevelled point; ig. 6 illustrates the manner of grasping the needle when inserting it from the rear, and Fig. 7 illustrates the position of the forceps and needle when the needle begins to emerge from the tissues.

In these views A represents the needle having a straight shank and an elliptically curved outer end., B is the eye placed in the head vertically, or at right angles to the plane of the needle, so that when theneedle is grasped by the forceps at the head, the eye will not be damaged.

C, D, and E are the bevelled outerside and upper and lower sides of the pointed extremity of the needle, forming a point that will automaticallyemerge, from the. tissues when the shank is pressed back by the forceps as shown in Fig. 7. 5

The resultof this conformation is to enable the point of the needle to be inserted in a narrow cavity behind the vein, and to rise or emerge automatically from the tissues after passing behind the vein, as shown in Fig. 7, and permits the use of the needle from the rear as shown in Fig. 6, where a suture is being applied to the vein G. Here the needle is grasped midway of the straight portion of the forceps F, and pivots in the point of the forceps F, and by pressing down on the eye end of the needle, after its insertion, the needle will pivot upon the forceps and the bevelled surface of the point will cause the point to emerge from the tissues in the direction of the operator. For the same reason the needle can be easily inserted from either side, or from in front, and the point will automatically emerge when the head is pressed backward, since the needle will revolve on its curved portion.

In this manneridiilicult surgical operations can be performed and sutures can be applied in remote and deep cavities otherwise inaccessible to the-operator and in such situations that they could not be applied with ordinary surgical needles.

In this manner all danger .of hemorrhages following a diflicult operation upon the throat can be easily avoided,since sutures can .be applied to .all veins and bleeding points. 7 a

Having described the invention what I claim as new (and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a surgical needle, a body of rectangular-shape in crosssection,.and having a short straight shank portion adjacent to the head and a curved portion, and having a fiat bearing surface onits convex side adjacent to the point, said point being bevelled uponits convex andlateral sides and having a substantially flat inner face, substantially as and for thecpurpose set forth.

2. "In a surgical needle, a body of rectangular shape in cross section, and having a short straight shank portion adjacent to' the head and a curved portion, having a flat bearing surface on its convex side, adjacent to the point, said point beingbevelled upon its lateral and convex sides, the bevelled surface upon the convex side having a greater inclination than that of the other bevels, andthe convex face of said point being flat.

3 Ina surgical needle, :1 body formed with ashort straight portion and a curved portion, said bodybeing of rectangular shape in cross section, and having a flat bearing surface on its lower side, and being provided with an eye at right anglesto the plane thereof, thelateral and convex sides of the extremity of the curved :portion of said needlebeing'bevelled to form a:point thereon.

4:. A surgical needle for applying sutures in-a deep body cavity, said .needle'having a shortishank and a short upwardly curved pointed end "extended. therefrom, said needle being constructed from a metal wire of rectangular: crosssection throughout its length,

and having a fiat convex face serving as a -bearing therefor 1n the flesh of the wound,

the pointed end of the needle being diagonally out awayon'the'two lateral sides and on the front extremity of the convex side, v said inclined extremity .of said convex A side serving to cause .said needle to emerge after, it has been insertedina wound. i l i 5. A-surgical needle foriapplying sutures in a deep f body cavity, said needlefhaving a o convex side, said inclined extremity of aidconvex side serving to cause said needle to emerge after it has been inserted in a wound, the lateral flat sides of said needle providing pivotal bearings for the-extremities of the forceps upon which said needle may be revolved while passing through the 6. In a surgical needle, a body formed with a shortstraight portion and a curved portion, said body being of rectangular shape in cross section, and being provided with an eye at right angles .to thejplane thereof, thelateral and convex sides ofthe extremity of the curved portion being beveled to form a point thereon, said needle being constructed of a semi-rigid'nietal to permit adjustment'thereof :to the shape of the throat cavity in whichit istemployed.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day ofiDeceinber, 19.23.

RALPH FISHER. 

